[fatbob]

I ran across an article at http://silvercrow.com/performance/oilcooler.htm that gave diagrams and a short description of using the engine guard for an oil cooler. Sounded like a good idea to me. It described using a Lockhart DP-180 thermostat between the engine and oil filter. That brought up two questions: Is it a good idea to start with and what are the drawbacks? And where would I get the Lockhart thermostat or something comparable? Can anybody help me?

 

[tibs]

Well, I am no expert but I can think of a few simple things that make me cringe at the thought of this....

The bar could have contamanents inside - bad especially if its post filter.
The bar might be corroded inside and that would add even more contamanents. Get something in a small hole and oil temp will be the least of your worries.
You scrape up your engine guard, you scrape up your oil cooler too. What happens if you do alot of dragging of that thing and then work a good hole somewhere?

Im sure there are other reasons why this wouldnt be an ideal solution. I would zip tie a car oil cooler to my bike before trusting the engine guard to do the job - it just doesnt seem safe.

 

[petrock]

I second tibs thoughts. The inside tubing of engine guards aren't designed to be clean/smooth/rust free etc. So running your oil through it wouldn't be the best of ideas... Too many ways it could go horribly wrong. Good luck...

 

[Seahag]

This has been covered in detail several times in the V-twin mods section and it IS perfectly safe and effective.

Here is a quote from an advertisement for the kits to convert your engine guard to an oil cooler:

The perfect reservoir and heat-sink is the bike's engine guard. Which is vacuum sealed at the factory and has the capacity of holding one full quart of oil, it measures over seven feet in length and using the engine guard for cooling oil is not a new idea, that's been done for years.

http://www.v-twinforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=62687&highlight=crash+guard+cooler.

http://www.v-twinforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=24295&highlight=crash+guard+cooler

http://www.v-twinforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=62687&highlight=crash+guard

http://www.v-twinforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=60569&highlight="crash+guard+cooler"

 

[petrock]

After reading the other posts/threads. I still stand by my origenal comment. Not all engine guards are built the same way or by the same manufacturer, so it can't be trusted that they are vacuum sealed and clean etc. Same with the frame. Most that I've seen are just stock tubing with end caps welded on, no vacuum presure. Watch any bike building show on TV and you'll see what I'm talking about. So the tubing cannot be guarenteed to be clean on the inside.

If they were vacuum sealed it would be hard as hell to weld the darn things. How would they keep the presure in the tube higher then the outside presure while they welded it? Its not like they could hook up a rubber hose or something. They would have to be welded in a room with a high vacuum presure etc, and I doubt a manufacturer is going to go through the expense of creating a vacuum presure controlled welding room just to make engine guards. That would be just silly.

One quick way you can tell if an engine guard was vacume sealed when it was manufactured is when/if you drill your holes in it for the oil inlet/outlet. If once you brake through the plate with the drill you don't hear a hissing sound or pop, it was _not_ vacuum sealed. If it _is_ vacuum sealed the air presure in the tube will be higher then the outside air presure, and will make an audible sound when the seal is broken and the presure between the two equalizes. Thats simple physics.

Also, vacuum presure doesn't prevent moisture from being in the air thats in the tube. And everyone knows moisture creates rust....

Just my zero cents (after taxes)

--Rob

 

[captainlee]

I have over 40 k on my engine guard cooler.:huh: getting ready to do it on my geezer glide too.

 

[Rattpac]

Completed my guard cooler back at the beginning of summer. I live in the California High Desert and we see many 100+ days in the summer and had no choice but to try it. The aftermarket oil cooler was more of a joke than a working piece of equipment however I did utilize the thermostat before removing the cooler.

Basically drill out and tap for fittings in the bar, take compressed air and blow out from both sides until nothing comes out (shavings, slag etc) then blow it out again. Hook up your lines and wah la a Harley that will run without overheating in the desert. :thumbsup:

 

[fatbob]

Thanks to everyone for the input. I've looked at enough messages to determine that it should work and so far, haven't seen any from someone who has tried it and had bad results. Think I'll go with the Jagg 4600 thermostat for connections. I've got an '04 FXDI and think that will fit.

 

[captainlee]

one other step i did was flush it with ospho ( mild acid) and yes I flushed the crap out of it both ways with water and then air.

 

[RideMyWideGlide]

After reading the other posts/threads. I still stand by my origenal comment. Not all engine guards are built the same way or by the same manufacturer, so it can't be trusted that they are vacuum sealed and clean etc. Same with the frame. Most that I've seen are just stock tubing with end caps welded on, no vacuum presure. Watch any bike building show on TV and you'll see what I'm talking about. So the tubing cannot be guarenteed to be clean on the inside.

If they were vacuum sealed it would be hard as hell to weld the darn things. How would they keep the presure in the tube higher then the outside presure while they welded it? Its not like they could hook up a rubber hose or something. They would have to be welded in a room with a high vacuum presure etc, and I doubt a manufacturer is going to go through the expense of creating a vacuum presure controlled welding room just to make engine guards. That would be just silly.

One quick way you can tell if an engine guard was vacume sealed when it was manufactured is when/if you drill your holes in it for the oil inlet/outlet. If once you brake through the plate with the drill you don't hear a hissing sound or pop, it was _not_ vacuum sealed. If it _is_ vacuum sealed the air presure in the tube will be higher then the outside air presure, and will make an audible sound when the seal is broken and the presure between the two equalizes. Thats simple physics.

Also, vacuum presure doesn't prevent moisture from being in the air thats in the tube. And everyone knows moisture creates rust....

Just my zero cents (after taxes)

--Rob

I can't see a reason to trust the manufacturing process of a piece that's built to look good on the outside, not the inside.. But your terminology is backwards. If the tube was vaccuum sealed, the pressure inside the tube would be LOWER than the outside pressure, hence the name, vaccuum. :duh?:

With the price of purpose built oil coolers, why take the chance. Take and old engine guard and cut it open... I think then you will see why it would be risky at the least.

Brad

 

[petrock]

:duh?: Your right... its lower presure...

Some people have moments of genius and stupidity... guess which one I had... :huh:

 

[Peacekeeper]

I mounted twin jaggs on my downtubes, Bike runs 170 to 200 depending on outside temp and traffic conditions running Mobile-1 V twin oil. Works great and looks good. Hwy temps stay in the lower range.

 

[STB]

Been running the oil in the front guard for a few years. Works fine, no problems and temp drop is the same as running one vertical Jagg cooler. You will run about an extra quart of oil. No drain back problems. I doubled the Silvercrow recommended fitting size to 1/4 inch and hooked it up to the return line between engine and tranny at 90 degree elbow. I guess that wont be possible on the '06 engines. Doesnt Buell run oil in the swing arm? I wonder if they are any more careful with the swing arm than front guards?

STB

 

[Friday1]

Crashbar Oil Cooler

I have been running this on my turbocharged 98 Road King for 5 years now. The crashbars are hydrostatic tested as this is part of the spec MOCO put on them when they sent them out for bid. I am not sure who makes them, but I have never seen one leak. Some of the aftermarket crashbars are shaky looking to run oil through. If you have enough ingenuity to install this and make it work, you can prolly limp your bike home from a wreck by coupling the oil hoses together if your crashbar is broken or rubbed through! What would you do if you rubbed through the gas tank in a wreck-not ride your bike cause it might happen?
Friday www.dyno-power.com

 

[SLOWHOUND]

I like to rest my legs against the crash bar and my paddles,how hot would my leg get?

 

[STB]

You can probably expect a 20 degree temp drop after the oil passes through about one half of the crash bar. It depends on the engine temp you run and how much heat you can take on your leg.

STB